MINING FOCUS BLOG

The average income of workers in the Arizona mining industry was
$108,000 in 2011, more than double the state income average of
$47,000. Most of those jobs are in the copper industry. Jobs
generated as a result of the mining industry averaged $65,000 per year.

Arizona mining companies living in the state. Of this total, 10,600 were
employed by copper mining companies. The remaining workers were
employed by companies engaged in coal mining, gold and silver mining,
and uranium mining. Employees of Arizona mining companies are
distributed widely across state counties. Each of five counties is home
to at least 10 percent of the state’s mining employees: Gila, Graham,
Greenlee, Pima and Pinal.

Three other counties - Maricopa, Mohave and Yavapai — have more than 500
mining employees in residence. The total income paid to employees of
Arizona mining companies in 2011 was $1.22 billion. This includes wages,
salaries, and fringe benefits such as employer contributions to health
insurance and retirement plans.

Overall, income per worker in the mining industry is $108,000. This
compares with an average income of $47,000 per worker across all
industries in Arizona.